1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a winch comprising a spool and drive/latching assembly. It offers a positive latching against unreeling when the spool is not being turned. When the spool is rotated through the drive/latching assembly, as by a crank, the latch is automatically retracted. This arrangement is superbly suited as a flagpole winch.
2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under .sctn..sctn.1.97 to 1.99
In the past winches such as are used on flagpoles have included braking devices. Examples are shown in the two Joe West U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,236,618 issued Dec. 2, 1980 and 4,413,713 issued Nov. 8, 1983. The unintended unreeling of such winches is prevented by a pair of brake shoes which are eased off the inside of a drum adjacent the spool by a yoke which is moved when the crank is rotated.
A problem with such prior devices is that brake shoes have occasionally failed and the flag, as a consequence, has slipped down to half mast, for instance. It must be remembered that the force on a flag halyard in a stiff breeze can approach 100 pounds and this has often been simply too much for the brake shoes to deal with. Additionally, ill-advised maintenance crews have lubricated the brake-shoe-type winches which, of course, has resulted in the shoes becoming slippery and ineffective to stop the turning of the winch.